Ok here goes.... I know this thread has been a sore spot with some people so I hope to put the argument to rest. My father inlaw loves Romeo short churchhills but does not want to pay 20$ a piece for them. He has a friend who goes to Veradero once a year and he usually has a steady supply. He introduced me to the Batey's which are sold at the local tobacconist. He buys these when his supply is low. I had one two weeks ago and it wasn't half bad.
So here is my take on the situation. Do I like the fact that I have no clue who is manufacturing this smoke, NO. Are they Legit? Well Im not sure. I purchased a pack of ten for 45$ on Friday and here are some Pics.
Im pretty sure that they are machine rolled, the draw is a little tight. I would rate the flavour a 7 out of 10 and they tend to burn very unevenly. How ever I paid 4.50$ a piece for them so I can not expect the world.
Here you can see the uneven burn. The ash is nice and white however. All I can say is that its a cheap smoke that does in a pinch. Would I take it over a proper Cuban, HELL NO. but on random weekday when I need to chill it does OK.
Cheers SB